In the spring of 1662, Isabel Rutherford found herself entangled in the web of Scotland’s witchcraft trials, which cast their shadow over the parish of Fossoway & Tullibole, encompassing her home in the village of Crook of Devon. This period was marked by a heightened sense of anxiety and suspicion across Scotland, as communities grappled with the fear of malevolent forces believed to be working through those accused of witchcraft. Isabel's case is noted in historical records from early April of that year, an indication of the widespread nature of such accusations during the mid-17th century.
The records of Isabel Rutherford's trial, while sparse, suggest her involvement in a larger communal and judicial process typical of the era. The documentation highlights the far-reaching influence of witchcraft accusations in small communities like Crook of Devon, where fear and uncertainty could easily spiral into formal charges. Isabel's case exemplifies the patterns of that time—where individuals, often women from rural areas, became focal points of societal tensions and traditional beliefs about supernatural threats. Although detailed testimonies or verdicts from her trial do not survive in the recorded material, Isabel's experience remains a testament to the precarious position many found themselves in during this turbulent period of Scottish history.